We lost many celebrities and influential people this New Year, and we’re not even three weeks into 2016. Out of those we lost (so far), David Bowie & Alan Rickman were the most influential to me personally.

The deaths of David Bowie and Alan Rickman have sent shock waves out into the world.

I’m not going to pretend I felt as strongly connected, as some of my current and former friends have, to David Bowie. I’m a bit of a late bloomer as a Bowie fan. It was only in the last three or so years I began listening to Bowie’s music in depth, studied his eccentric fashion sense, and learned of his influence on many misfits, outsiders, & whomever felt alone because they were different from the masses. David Bowie’s courage to be himself in a world that actively fights & resists against the very notion of being one’s individual self has inspired generations. Whether he intended to or not, he gave a gift to the world. The energy he put out into the world as an entertainer & artist had a massive, universal impact that will continue to radiate for generations to come.

Alan Rickman died on my 28th birthday.

He is the first of a small group of favorite actors that have had a massive impact on myself, creatively, and emotionally. My generation, the millennials/Gen Y know him as Professor Severus Snape in the Harry Potter films. But his body of work as Hans Gruber in Die Hard, Angel Metatron in Dogma, Sir Alexander Dane from Galaxy Quest, & many other roles helped introduce me to the unconventional in film; the concept of the unconventional character, and the deep understanding of the shadow side of human nature.

I never met Alan Rickman in person or online.

From what I gather… mainly from watching countless interviews, talk show appearances, and hearing other’s experiences, he was a beautiful human being who had a deep understanding of the human experience. Those that worked with him constantly talk about how he always went the extra mile to help out his friends.

In every behind the scenes picture I ever saw him in he was always smiling. Never had I seen someone smile as much as Alan.

You can imagine how deep my heart sank waking up to the news of Alan’s passing.

The world is in a collective mourning period right now.

Losing two influences of mine triggered a thought deep within me during a period meditation. The message that came through was this:

Don’t take those you find inspiration from for granted. They’re not always going to be around. Learn as much as you possibly can from them while they’re alive. If you feel a connection with them: Explore that. Meditate on it. If you have an opportunity to see them perform live, do NOT pass that up. If you get the opportunity to meet them in person or have them answer a question of yours on a panel: TAKE IT. You may never get another opportunity.

There is a reason why you feel as inspired as you do. Take the chance to explore that feeling.

From what I’ve observed, and experienced myself, David Bowie & Alan Rickman have helped us all connect with our own authentic selves on a deeper level. They inspire us to take a chance on finding our place in the universe.

As we all continue to mourn these losses, we must continue to push ourselves to question the world around us and do what we can to make a difference. David and Alan have inspired that in myself.

Their influence on me will continue to help me find my purpose. And I hope their influence helps everyone who needs it.

I took a bike ride a few weeks ago to clear my head after a week full of unexpected events. About a month ago, I was all set to get my first new car, a 2015 Toyota Corolla LE Eco. I was really happy and excited, even though I knew something within the process felt a bit off instinctively. Towards the end of my shift at work I was handed a letter that said they wouldn’t be continuing with my place of employment. Long story short: I will not fight to stay somewhere where I’m not valued. And that’s that. It’s truly for the best to put the car purchasing on hold for the present moment. I want & need to feel comfortable in my first major purchase. Who wouldn’t? It’s like buying a house…only portable. During that bike ride, I found myself coming across an old swing set on the bike trail that a couple of childhood friends & I used to swing on. I haven’t swung on a swing in quite a few years. It’s probably the closest I’ve ever come to the feeling of flying. That flying feeling has the power to take you out of yourself; out of your worries and day to day concerns. It felt exhilarating & joyous. 🙂 Grounding oneself is important. Yet, letting your feet off the ground for a few moments for a quick rest or fun time can help you re-energize yourself; and allow new energy to flow through you in a different form. This way, when you put your feet on the ground again, you’re able to ground yourself with a whole new energy. It’s liberating and regenerating. It’s a great stress reliever. 🙂

Sam Simon was co-creator of The Simpsons, an animal rights activist, director, producer, radio show host of the Sam Simon Show among many many wonderful things.

I didn’t know Sam Simon very well. I recently became acquainted with him over the last month from speaking to him on his radio show, the Sam Simon Show he co-hosted with Ari Solomon, Mikko Alanne, his girlfriend, Kate Porter, and actress &, ex-wife, & close friend, Jennifer Tilly. I spoke with him over the phone during his last three shows, sharing animal stories about Alaska.

In that time, I was able to learn about Sam and what he’s done for so many animals and people around the world. I became very intrigued by his work. Sam has helped rescue many animals from captivity, be that from circuses, cages, zoos, etc. He’s bought zoos and circuses, freeing the animals into sanctuaries so they can taste freedom for the first time. Sam was a huge supporter of animal rights organizations, like Mercy For Animals, PETA, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. He rescued dogs from animal shelters from being euthanized and retrained them to help the deaf and veterans. He set up mobile veterinary clinics that went around the Los Angeles area, helping to spay and neuter animals for low income families. He created the Feeding Families program that provided over 200 families per day struggling from economic hardship–especially those that might not have been able to feed their children or pets–with free nutritious vegan meals. He was also a huge supporter of the Save The Children foundation. He spent the last few years of his life, after being diagnosed with colon cancer in 2012, helping people animals & children in anyway he could.

Sam Simon is someone who truly lived by example.

He was a voice for those that didn’t have one.

He stood up tall for animals & children.

This quality about him inspires me personally.

One of the main reasons for creating this blog is to give a voice to the voiceless, the forgotten, the marginalized, the outcast, & the helpless by spreading awareness about their situations; shining a spotlight on the issues teenagers, children, and animals are facing and what or whom is enabling the oppression of them. Children, teenagers, young adults & animals are at the forefront of this battle.

As a young adult in my 20s, I realize the importance of taking action in some way–anyway– is something that is not only needed, but it’s crucial to our survival as a society, culture, and planet. It is one of my goals to help follow in the footsteps of and carry on Sam Simon’s work by doing whatever I can to help animals and young people in anyway. Having had a taste of working in the field of philanthropy through my college years, I understand the importance of giving and urging people to give back. I really hope to help inspire and urge my generation to be a voice for the voiceless. One can do this by attending and participating in peaceful protests, donating to an animal shelter, organization that helps women & children, the homeless, etc.

Social media is a blessing because we now can voice our concerns to a broader audience than ever before.

I found the Sam Simon Show through one of my favorite actors, fellow twitter follower, friend, and hero, Jennifer Tilly. She’s Sam Simon’s ex-wife and closest friends. I was a little late to the game tuning in, but I feel very blessed to have had the privilege of being able to listen and call into the show when I did. Sam, Jennifer, Kate, Mikko, & Ari are all incredibly kind, hilarious, and want people to be aware of the issues surrounding animals. They also would ask their callers calling into the show if they are vegan or eat vegan. If not, they urged their listeners and their callers to start a vegan/animal free diet, providing websites to vegan recipes, vegan organizations, stores, and websites that are designed to help you start eating vegan. I personally am not there yet. I am working right now towards a pescatarian diet. I love the taste of seafood too much right now, but I will do my very best as I go through life to eat responsibly and respectably. And like Jennifer Tilly stated on her twitter, I too consider myself ‘vegan adjacent.’ This means (for me) I eat vegan when I can. 😉

Every single time I tuned in, Sam always urged people to call into the show. I came to a realization the day he passed on that I had been his last caller on his February 20th, 2015 radio show. This really hit my heart. I can still here his voice. He said to me “Heeey! It’s Elena! From Alaska!” I was telling Sam and crew about the ghosts my cats see in my room at night. After telling my story, he chuckled and said amused, “Anything else you want to ruin with science, Elena?”

All in all, I am grateful to have been able to connect with him in some form. 🙂

I urge everyone to listen & call into the Farewell Sam Simon Show this Friday, March 13th, 2015. 3pm-5pm Pacific Time.